Summer snowfall, freezing weather claims 12 lives in eastern Afghanistan
12 children have lost their lives after summer snowfall and freezing weather hit the Chawkay district of Afghanistan’s Kunar Province over the past couple of days.
Many parts of Afghanistan have recently seen heavy monsoon rainfall and floods in which at least 400 people died.1
The floods hit the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Laghman, Panjshir, Parwan, Kabul, Kapisa, Maidan Wardak, Bamiyan, Ghazni, Logar, Samangan, Sar-e-Pul, Takhar, Paktia, Khost and Daikundi, as well as the Salang areas.
This heavy rainfall made traditional houses made of mud and other natural material vulnerable to damage so many of them collapsed when a shallow M5.9 earthquake hit the country on June 21. As a result, at least 1 000 people were killed and another 1 500 injured.2
While international media covered the quake quite extensively, nothing was heard about the lives of 12 children lost after summer snowfall and freezing weather hit the Yugal area of Chawkay district, Kunar Province.
According to the state-run Bakhtar news agency, locals on condition of anonymity said the calamity took place a couple of days ago when the families of nomads were taking their animals to the mountains for grazing. All victims belonged to nomad families.3
Heavy snowfall has also affected central Afghanistan’s Bamyan Province over the past couple of days.4
Several people in various regions of the province have reported substantially colder temperatures and snow at unusual levels at the start of the summer season.
Bamyan is a chilly, mountainous province, but this is reportedly the first heavy snowfall to hit the region since 2002.
References:
1 Recent floods in Afghanistan caused by incessant rain kill 400 people – Business Standard – June 23, 2022
2 Shallow M5.9 earthquake hits Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, killing at least 1 000 people and injuring 1 500 – The Watchers – June 21, 2022
3 Summer snow blankets central Afghanistan – The Kabul Times – June 23, 2022
4 Summer Snow Blankets Cover Central Afghanistan – Khaama – June 21, 2022
Featured image credit: The Kabul Times
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